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Gui Ling Gao Jelly

Gui Ling Gao is the latest craze here in Kuching.

What is Gui Ling Gao? It is an old traditional medicine product from China / Hong Kong; a jelly made from tu fu ling, gui ban, and bie jia, and is said to be able to minimize the effects of the damp-heat that seeps into your body the second you leave the air-conditioned indoors. (?)

It's also said to help nourish our yin and clear body heat, while cleansing the body blood of toxins. Another claimed that it specifically help improves or cure skin disorder.

Tasteless by itself, its usually added with rock sugar or honey. Usually served chilled.

** Apology for the rather poor and rude photo. Absent mindedly, I ate the Gui Ling Gao before taking the above photo. :-)

After devouring my task, I was then told that Gui Ling Gao actually meant Tortoise Jelly (Turtle Jelly) !! The homemade recipe of tortoise jelly is prepared using powder (grinded turtle parts?) that is to be boiled to make the jelly. Pregnant ladies are caution not to consume.

My verdict? It tasted like any other jelly to me. However, it indeed gives a refreshing and cooling effect. (?)

Huh, thanks for this! I've been googling around to find out if all gui ling gao is made from tortoise shells, but even wiki (even is perhaps the wrong word, alas) couldn't quite tell me that the gelling agent is always made from endangered animals. According to your friend here in the comments, it's not; that's what I thought.

I bought this on a whim because it was cheap and there was a 10 dollar credit card minimum ant Fung King Asian Market in Oradell or New Jersey, USA. I had no idea what this was, but it came in a cool little cermic pot that I could use for other things. The ingredients seem benign enough, but when I asked the check out girl what it was she made a "yuck" face and gabbed with the other cashiers about it (I assumed from their tone) I'm non-asian do not speak any of the languages. When I got back to the office I realized why they were grossed out... "Turtle Jelly" Ingredients were mostly sugar and different types of flowers like honey suckle, dandelion, It had a bitter herbal taste. Made in China

It is a Chinese jello mixed with Tuckahoe (Wolfiporia extensa), sugar, honey, etc. The name Gui means Turtle and many people thought this GuiLing Gao is made from Turtle extracts. Misleading. This is what I have researched about Guiling Gao. Tuckahoe is claimed to have some effects on liver, spleen, and getting rid of the internal heat according to Chinese herbal tratment.

I Said..Anonymous.. What reseach you have make and and are u a chinese?.. Better u fly to china and see them how to make gui lin gao powder.. Dont simply judge that Gui lin gao is not make by TURTLE... ur comments really make ppl laughing like hell..